We’re gonna celebrate it all, Kwanza, spinnin the dradel, all that fun shit!

I’m springing for the Sebastians Pizza, bring a jug of booze or some beer, we will have cups and ice and we’re gonna have a good time.

Fred Bodin writes-

Hi JOEY, our second annual GMG Holiday Party will be held on Saturday, December 8th, at Fred’s Gallery, 82 Main Street, in the West End. If last year was any indication, it will be unbelievable. Rest assured that there will be plenty to eat and drink at this event. I think it will, like last year’s bash, be the party to remember. Hope to see you!

We will also be seeking people pledging to do the Rocky Neck Plunge With Us on New Year’s Day!

“Don’t forget to bring your children down to Art Haven to paint a buoy to adorn the tree. That’s what separates our lobster trap tree from all those horribly disfigured monstrosity lobster trap trees up in Maine that are all built out of simply traps and cheap pre-made ribbons imported from China and manufactured in sweat shops with unfair labor practices.”

Patty was offended by the post obviously not seeing the homerism angle of it so I offered to show her what good sports we are here and to post her photos of the P-Town tree.

Here you go Patty-

In fairness I really like what they do with their lighted lobster trap buoy bloom at the top. Very nice.

That being said I’ll take our G-Town lobster trap tree 10 times out of 10.

Click the link above to read what Dave has to say. If what he says is true (and believe me I can’t even begin to understand how complex it all is) the way of life of the independent fishermen in Gloucester Ma will be lost forever within a generation.

I’m not sure how many people understand how sweeping the changes will be to our port but if it all is privatized the way it sounds like it’s going, go grab all the copies you can of John N Morris’ book Alone At Sea about the Schooners and Ron Gilson’s book about the waterfront An Island No More because the way of life as independent fishermen in Gloucester will be history and those two guys captured it in a real (non-romanticized way) better than anyone.

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Like this:

It’s exhausting responding to people that can’t get the obvious humor or freak out at a swear word.

Seriously. Exhausting feeling like I have to defend obvious outlandish statements like-

“Don’t forget to bring your children down to Art Haven to paint a buoy to adorn the tree. That’s what separates our lobster trap tree from all those horribly disfigured monstrosity lobster trap trees up in Maine that are all built out of simply traps and cheap pre-made ribbons imported from China and manufactured in sweat shops with unfair labor practices.

Compare our Tree decorated with heart felt appreciation for our lobster industry and hard working fishermen by sweet adoring children form the Gloucester Community to the abomination seen below-“

It’s a joke. It’s obvious homerism. If you can’t deal with it or if the word fuck is going to send you into a tailspin please, get your blog on somewhere else.

So sick and tired of the PC police trying to vanillaize the entire world.

Political Correctness is the ruination of funky society.

You heard it here.

You wanna rail on about something? Rail on about child abuse, rail on about cancer, rail on about how messed up our health care system is or political hacks. But jesus h christ if the worst part of your day is that you didn’t get an edgy joke or if a four letter swear word freaks you out so much that you feel like writing a three paragraph email telling me how horrible I am- save it.

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In conjunction with the “Seashells & Jingle Bells” Inn and Home Kitchen tour in Rockport, benefiting Rockport High School DECA, Gloucester artist Eileen Patten Oliver will be at the Rockport Inn & Suites, which is the starting point of the tour, on December 8th from 1-4 PM selling her Christmas Cards and prints of some of her paintings. Tickets for the tour are also available at Rockport Inn & Suites which is one of 13 locations featured on the tour. Please come out to see this wonderful tour, support the kids in DECA, and get a beautiful card or print!

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Last night we stopped at Mark McDonough’s newest restaurant, Maggies Farm, located in Middleton. Disclaimer: our son Alex recently started working there although, I can honestly say, our dinners were simply outstanding. And as you can see in the photos, the portions are enormously generous.

Alex recommended the Nachos and, even though I generally dislike shouty capitals– WOW is all I can say!

The host Kai was gracious and friendly and our waitress was super professional and efficient. The ambiance was warm, welcoming, and fun, and the crowd ranged in age from 20-somethings through the ages including dating couples, sports bar fans, a group of women getting together after work, and sitting next to us, was a grandmother with her granddaughter discussing the granddaughter’s upcoming wedding plans.

Husband Tom ordered the Fish and Chips. I did not try the fish however, the onion rings were the best I have ever tasted–extra crispy flavorful golden brown on the outside, perfectly sweet, tender onions within. We were not sitting under the lights and I apologize for the not-so-great photos, but we’ll be back often. I ‘d love to return at lunch time for better photos and to try more items on the menu. I struggled to decide and was more than happy with the delicious Pan Roasted Chicken with cranberry cornbread stuffing, parsnips, Brussel sprouts, and gravy (and much too full after the perfectly enormous plate of nachos to eat all my dinner). The menu is a collection of favorite comfort food from many cuisines, and is comfort food at its most sublime. For sushi-lovers, the sushi looked very tempting and is half-off on Monday nights. I can see any number of reasons to head over to Maggies for lunch or for dinner as it is only a five minute drive past the long stretch of shops, stores, and car dealerships that line Rt. 114. Maggies is located adjacent to Richardson’s Farm. When the weather warms it will be lots of fun to make a night of Richardson’s mini golf and dinner at Maggies!

The name Maggies Farm Restaurant is taken from the Bob Dylan song he penned (from the album Bringing it All Back Home), after his departure from acoustic folk to electric rock. See Mark McDonough’s Gloucester restaurantsAlchemy,Latitude 43, and Minglewood.

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All you guitar players out there, answer me this: What’s missing from this video of Savoy Brown @ the Bull Run last Saturday night (12/1)?

Answer: Pedals. Kim Simmonds and his excellent band rocked the place for over 2 hours and he never once stepped on a pedal. In these days of more and more gadgets (all of which have to be carted around to each gig, unpacked, hooked up, tested … well you get the idea) I found it refreshing to hear a tremendous variety of sound coming from a virtuoso who lets himself go and just plays like he’s loving every single note.

BTW: His rhythm section, Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums were every bit as good as he was, so perfectly musically tuned to each other you’d think it was a single guy playing both instruments at the same time.

Yes, folk. Once in a while it’s worth crossing the bridge for excellent music — and it broadens your horizons too. Plus, as soon as you return to Gloucester, you realize what an unusually rich music scene we’ve got, right here in our own back yard.

Do you really think there was anything else happening anywhere near Shirley MA last Saturday? Nope. Bull Run was it.

Want proof? Google “Live music in Shirley MA” and see what you get.
Then google “Live music in Gloucester MA”.

As Joey would say, #Boom!

If you don’t feel like googling, just go here and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

The choir of Holy Family Parish will be offering
its 8th annual free Advent-Christmas Concert
on Sunday, December 9, at 2PM.

In addition to the parish adult choir and the children’s choir, the pastor, Fr. John Kiley, will present some organ pieces. Not wanting to be left out of a musical event like this one, GMG contributor Fr. Matthew Green will also sing with the choir.

No tickets necessary! Come and enjoy the music!

Holy Family Parish is located just north of the intersection of Prospect Street and Pleasant Street. The entrance to the parking lot is on Prospect.

Be careful to avoid parking in the lot for Savour Wine and Cheese, which is across Pleasant Street from the church parking lot. Unless maybe you stop in to Savour and pick up some treats beforehand, and ask permission to stay in the lot…

Last week in Rockport we had the tree lighting and Santa’s arrival (events covered here on Good Morning Gloucester by intrepid reporter Rubber Duck — and its somewhat useful sidekick Paul Morrison). So what’s up in Rockport for THIS week?

The big news is Rockport’s annual Shopping Night. You read that right! Shopping after dark in Rockport! Dawn Noble of La Provence has organized over 50 stores (even more than the number listed on the poster) to stay open until 8 pm. Stores are offering holiday promotions for this event, so come for the shopping, stay for the fun. This one is a can’t-miss!

The next one is not strictly in Rockport, but have you been to the new Flatrocks Gallery just north of Pigeon Cove? Stop by this weekend — it’s a beautiful place.

Send in your Creative Elf On The Shelf Location Photos to goodmorninggloucester@yahoo.com I’ll post ‘em don’t forget to add in your elf’s name and family name. represent! Bonus points if you can include a GMG Sticka with your Elf Photo

Cape Ann YMCA
Hot chocolate and pictures with “Santa” (1-3pm) to help kids in need receive Christmas presents, parents can donate a present to a child in need and have their child’s photo with Santa taken for free!

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Cape Ann Center for Dance HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE on Sunday, Dec. 9th 3-5pm.

Two opportunities this weekend to meet Roland Merullo, an awarding-winning author of 14 books including 10 works of fiction. Breakfast with Buddha, a nominee for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, is now in its 14th printing. The Talk- Funny Girl was a 2012 ALEX Award Winner and named a "Must Read for 2012" by the Massachusetts Library Association and the Massachusetts Center for the Book; Revere Beach Boulevard was named one of the "Top 100 Essential Books of New England" by The Boston Globe, A Little Love Story was named one of "Ten Wonderful Romance Novels" by Good Housekeeping and Revere Beach Eulogy won the Massachusetts Book Award for non fiction.

On Friday, December 7th at 7:00 pm at Toad Hall Book Store. Roland will be reading and signing books from his latest novel "Lunch with Buddha" http://lunchwithbuddha.com/

In addition, on Saturday, December 8th at 10:30 am please join bestselling author Roland Merullo and local film producer Meg Montagnino Jarrett in a discussion of the novel Golfing with God as well as the related film efforts on at the Bass Rocks Golf Club, 34 Beach Road, Gloucester, MA.

Funny and uplifting, Golfing with God is a beautifully realized novel that takes the reader on one ordinary man’s most unexpected journey.

"The tale of Hank the earthly golf pro and God the eternal swinger is engagingly and wittily told. . . Amid the laughs and playful banter, Golfing with God is a serious story of self-examination and growth, the hardest games of all." — Washington Post

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Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)